Mangu

ackee-and-saltfish

Next Dish: Enchiladas

Ackee and Saltfish is a traditional Jamaican dish, considered by many to be the country's national dish. It consists of salted codfish sautéed with boiled ackee, onions, Scotch Bonnet peppers, tomatoes, and spices. The dish is often served with breadfruit, hard dough bread, dumplings, or boiled green bananas. Despite ackee's toxic properties if improperly prepared, it is safe to consume when fully ripened and cooked, and is a staple in Jamaican cuisine.

ackee

scallions

garlic

tomato

cooking oil

saltfish

bell pepper

black pepper

dried thyme

onion

scotch bonnet pepper

Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 can of ackee

  • 1/2 lb of saltfish (codfish)

  • 1 onion

  • 1/2 bell pepper

  • 1 tomato

  • 2 cloves of garlic

  • 1 Scotch bonnet pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

  • 3 tablespoons of cooking oil

  • 1 sprig of thyme

  • 2 stalks of scallions


Instructions:

  1. Soak the saltfish in a pot of water for about an hour to remove some of the salt. If it's still too salty, you can boil it for about 15-20 minutes.

  2. Drain the saltfish and then flake it into small pieces.

  3. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.

  4. Add the chopped onions, bell pepper, garlic, Scotch bonnet pepper, thyme, and scallions to the pan and sauté until they're soft.

  5. Add the flaked saltfish to the pan and stir everything together.

  6. Drain the ackee and add it to the pan. Be careful not to stir too much after adding the ackee because it's very delicate and can easily get mushy.

  7. Season with black pepper and let everything simmer together for about 5-7 minutes.

  8. Serve hot with bread, fried dumplings, or rice.